Tearing up rugs

Question
Hi Patti,

I have a very loving 6 month old spitz terrior who has tons of energy and is living with another dog and a cat (gets along very well with the other 3 yr old dog but he's a little intiminated by the cat). However, he has recently been tearing up all the rugs in the house (even brand new ones!). He just seems to constantly be trying to dig for something but always in the rugs. I've never even noticed him to be doing it outside in the lawn. I don't know what his obsession is with the rugs and can not get him to stop. Please give me any suggestions to stop his bad habit. Thank you!

Answer
Hi Jessica,

Digging behaviors, whether inside or outside are often attributed to boredom, and lack of exercise.

Because he's just 6 months old, you should try increasing the amount of daily exercise your puppy receives. The concept is a simple one: if your puppy is tired out, he won't have the energy to tear apart your rugs.
Aside from leash walks, if there's a park where he can run free with other dogs, that would go a long way in burning off some of that energy. Letting a dog outside in a fenced yard is not a substitute for exercising. If your puppy enjoys chasing a ball, that's another really good activity that will give him a good workout.

Besides the physical workout, teaching your puppy obedience commands would give him a mental workout. Enrolling in an obedience class is an excellent way to teach your puppy.

Best of luck,
Patti